Emergency tool



June 26, 1945. J. D. TESSIER EMERGENCY TOOL Filed Feb. 3. 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l :l LFII INVENITOR. 7255151? Jbszru BY June 26, 1945. Y .1. D. TESSIER 38 EMERGENCY TOOL Filed Feb. :5, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' IIIlI/A a 11/14 INVENTOR.

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Patented June 26, 1945 EMERGENCY TOOL Joseph D. Tessier, Worcester, Mass. 'ApplicationFebrnai'y e, 1944, Serial No. 520,863

UNITED STATES 4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved device for opening locked doors or the like with a minimum of damage and time necessary for the operation, and for easily and quickly separating building members, partitions, etc.

Objects of the invention include the provision of an adjustable tool having a head with a relatively sharp prying or working edge thereon, said head being pivoted to a handle embodying a latching device comprising a ratchet so that the tool may be inserted between the lock and the jamb of a door, or between any two members it is desired to pry apart, with the head aligned with the handle so that the tool may be hammered into place; and also providing for easy pivoting of the handle relative to the head, without the necessity of operating the latch so that the handle can be locked substantially at right angles to the head for the purpose of convenience in supplying leverage to the parts to be separated. 3

Further objects of the invention include the provision of a tool as aforesaid including a hammer incorporated in the tool and serving the purpose not only of a hammer but also as a means to retain certain of the parts ofthe tool in assembled relation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a view in elevation showing a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are detailed views of separate elements of the device, and

Figs. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views of the handle of the device. In the drawings the numeral it! indicates the head of the tool which comprises a substantially central portion perforated as shown at [2 in Fig. 2; and an elongated wedge shaped element [4 having a relative sharp working edge 16. The handle includes a circular portion ill, see Fig. 4, which fits between the perforated parts of the head Ill and these parts are pivoted by means of a pin 20 extending centrally thereof. The head I!) is provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth 22 and a square cut notch 24.

.The handle is indicated generallyat 26 and embodies a slidable latch element 23, which is spring pressed towards engagement with the teeth in head by means of a spring 30.

A member 32 is secured to the latch element (Cl. 254F131 28 andis provided with a lip 34. "An exterior sleeve 36 surrounds the handle and is slidable relative thereto. A small plate 38 is secured interiorly of sleeve 36 for sliding movement therethe members to be separated, and if desired the hibited by the shape of the with and this plate abuts the lip '34 of element 32 so that when sleeve 36 is retracted away from the head of the tool the latch member 28 will likewise be retracted therewith. However, latch element 28 is also free to be retracted under influence of the inclined sides of ratchet teeth 22 when the head is pivoted relative to the handle from the solid line position thereof in Fig. 1 to the dotted line positions therein.

A reciprocable pipe or tube 40 is located interiorly of the sleeve 36 but extends outwardly therefrom as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This tube 40 surrounds a solid cylindrical hammer element 42 which extends substantially to the end of the I tube 40, the latter receiving a handle element 44 located therein with a press fit. A spring pressed plunger 45 is located in element 42 and the handle member 44 has a rod 46 secured thereto as at 48. Rod 46 is provided with a head 5|] which, upon retraction of handle 44 and connected sleeve 40, will abut the spring pressed plunger 45 and thus provide a cushion for the handle member in this direction of its movement. When the handle is impelled in the opposite direction it will act as a hammer to securely lodge the part 14 of the head In in the desired location when the latter is shown in solid lines in Fig. 1.

In the operation of the device, the. parts are arranged manually as shown in solid lines in Fig. 1, the pointed edge I6 is inserted between handle member 44 and sleeve 40- may be then reciprocated as above described to hammer the wedge home as by hammer 42. When the device is solidly locked, the handle is merely pivoted relative to the head l0 so that the parts will appear as in the dotted lines positions, whereupon movement in the opposite to be separated,'it being noted that relative movement of the parts in the prying direction is proteeth 22 or by the notch 24.

In order to disassemble the tool the screw which holds sleeve 36 to the element 38 is removed, whereupon sleeve 36 may be used as a hammer to strike handle member 44 thus removing, the same from the tube 40; Thereupon screw 48 may be removed and the tubes may then aligned with the handle as direction will pry the parts reassemble the device the opposite procedure may be followed.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A tool of the class described comprising a prying head, a handle pivoted thereto, teeth on the head, a sleeve, a latch on the handle, a spring urging the latch towards the teeth, a loose connection between the sleeve and the latch, said connection being constructed and arranged to retract the latch as the sleeve is retracted and to allow the spring to act on the latch.

2. A tool of the class described comprising a prying head, a handle pivoted thereto, ratchet and teeth on the head, a slidable latch on the handle, a spring to urge the latch toward the teeth, a member having a lip and being secured to the latch, a sleeve on the handle, and an abutment interiorly of the sleeve and engaging the lip to'retract the latch as the sleeve is retracted.

3. A tool as recited in claim 2 wherein the lip is positioned to prevent the sleeve from escaping from the handle by reason of its engagement with the abutment.

4. A tool of the class described comprising a handle, a head pivoted thereto, means to latch the head to the handle, a sleeve, a reciprocable hammering sleeve in the first named sleeve, a hand grip fitting the inside of'the hammering sleeve and removable therefrom by means 01' the first named sleeve, a rod on the hand grip, an abutment on the rod, and a spring pressed plunger on the handle engageable by said abutment at the end of the retracting movement or the hammering sleeve,

JOSEPH D. 'I'ESSIER. 

